Who's perfectly content with their firearm collection?

Red Leg said:

I think I am pretty much done. I can hunt anything on the planet with a perfectly balanced caliber and rifle- vintage or modern - and that was before I was bitten hard by the Blaser bug. I did recently add a Daniel Defense DDM4 V7P in 5.56 as my new “repel boarders” weapon. I have it kitted up with a 2 MOA Aimpoint, light, and eventually the suppressor will get here. It is a pretty awesome little carbine kind of thing. And God bless Texas. I’ll retire my Steyr Scout from that primary duty.

A few of these treasures will go to my son, and my spouse will do very well at auction with the remainder.

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What if you some day manage to come across an over under Boss & Co . double barreled rifle , Sir ?

Major Khan said:

What if you some day manage to come across an over under Boss & Co . double barreled rifle , Sir ?

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Unless it were a gift, I would admire it from afar. I am wise enough to know there are any number of wonderful things that I can not afford. A Boss OU rifle or shotgun would be one of those.

I'm very content with my suite of firearms that covers every situation I need. All are "field licensed" - and those in WA will appreciate the hassles I've had with the Police to have them all licensed as such. Currently I have:

- Anschutz 22.lr
- Beretta U/O 12g shotgun
- BSA 22 Hornet
- Remington 700 in 223 Rem
- Ruger M77 30/06
- FN 9.3x62
- Interarms Mk.X 458 Win Mag

IF there are overlap in purposes, maybe the Hornet and FN could go. However, I do like keeping one firearm for a range of purposes, instead of "cluttering up" in having a number of similar calibres that could all do the same job. I find my approach works for me in avoiding "spreading" money across a wider range of firearms, while retaining more bucks to improve on those that I already have.

Timbo said:

I'm very content with my suite of firearms that covers every situation I need. All are "field licensed" - and those in WA will appreciate the hassles I've had with the Police to have them all licensed as such.

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Yeah I hear you guys in WA really cop it. What is it with the cops there?! From stupid fees to handpicking what calibers you can and cannot have.

Quite content with mine. It’s just like my belly...grows and shrinks often!

Shootist43 said:

I am content with what I have, but I'm willing to have more.

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Plus 1

HAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

That statement never crossed my lips. Just read a thread earlier this week, the gentleman had just purchased a 1895 in 30-40 krag. The rifle/caliber has always intrigued me, so I started looking, lol. IMHO no gun collection is ever complete.

I'll never be content with what I have in my safe. While I was in South Africa my PH asked me what rifle I would like to get and I told him a 404 Jeffery, he just nodded.

While I would like to obtain a lot more I am also facing the reality that my hunting days are numbered and that I have enough rifles, pistols, shotguns, and muzzle loaders to hunt just about anything that I want to hunt. That is except for the 404 Jeffery.

I am well covered for anything I want to hunt. Content? Can't say I am. There is always something new to think about, no thanks to you guys here. I get tempted but then reason (think old age) kicks in and I back off. I have some that are almost duplicates and am contemplating thinning my herd. I don't need a 308, an 06 and a 7RM, or a 9.3x62 and a 375HH. 6.5CR is fun but my 7RM is more versatile. It can replace 308, 06 and 6.5. I'm considering cutting down to my old standby battery: 7RM and 375HH. They can handle anything on earth and have proven themselves many times.

Major Khan said:

By the way , Russ ... I have always been meanimg to ask you 1 thing . I have heard that the stocks and the barrels of the Zastava Model 70 bolt rifles ( Which are chambered in the .458 Winchester magnum calibre ) are a little too light for the .458 Winchester magnum calibre ... and thus , most operators tend to replace the stocks and barrels of these rifles . Is this true ?

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Hi Major Khan

The stocks on the Zastava's in .458 have a reputation of splitting - even with the factory fitted cross-bolt.
My first Zastava .458 split the stock before a box of ammo had been put through it!
I have been told by a big-bore custom rifle maker that this splitting is an inherent flaw of the M98 design, and not just limited to the Zastava.
But the .458's can and do split stocks and I'll be honest, the stock design isn't the most comfortable I've ever held - especially for a heavy kicker. And the recoil pad is HORRIBLE. Using all my strength I couldn't compress it with my thumb.

I've owned 2 Zastava .458's and I've replaced both stocks with Hogue stocks.
My current setup has the Hogue stock with the full aluminium bedding block that runs the whole way down the forearm and I'm very happy with it.
Even though the stock is light its very strong and stiff.
I know a lot of people hate the Hogue stock but I really like them. They're strong, light and the rubberised coating on them is very grippy for wet or bloody hands. Plus they're not cold and hard like a lot of synthetic stocks. I guess the only downside to them for me is that they aren't a very attractive stock... but my .458 with the Hogue is growing on me... slowly... but practicality has it's own special kind of beauty - thats what I keep telling myself!

And yes the barrels are very thin on the .458. Very thin.
But despite that both of mine shot very well putting 3 shots into one big ragged hole at 50m - and the thin barrels make for a nice light rifle.
My Zastava .458 with Hogue stock complete with steel mounts and rings and Leupold scope weighs 8.8lbs. And that's with a 24" barrel so I'm getting an easy 2150fps with the 480gn Woodleigh.

Hope the above answers your question Major Khan and just before I finish, I quickly want to say that I really, really rate the Zastava M70.
They're an all steel rifle with a strong CRF action, they feed perfectly from the factory - even the .458,
they have a bevelled claw so it slips over a dropped in round easily meaning that you have a 4 shot instead of 3, all three Zastava's I've owned have had beautiful blueing and finally... they're cheap!

For the money I reckon they're the best bang for your buck you can get

Russ

P.S. I think it's time I dusted my .458!

Opposite Pole said:

Yeah I hear you guys in WA really cop it. What is it with the cops there?! From stupid fees to handpicking what calibers you can and cannot have.

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And don't forget, going around and physically measuring the bolts and washers securing your gun safe to the walls, just to make sure they meet Regulations!!

When feeling belligerent they also go around unannounced to your home (while you're at work) and ask your wife/gf etc if they can inspect your firearms. As soon as they open the safe, the police immediately confiscate all your firearms on the grounds that as your wife/gf is not the licensed owner it's illegal for them to have access your firearms.

On the opposite side of the coin, when my mate passed away, the police correctly moved in to store his 28 firearms at his local station until disposed by Estate. Later, when I was informed he'd bequeathed his FN 9.3x62 to me, I naturally went to license it. Imagine my surprise when I was told that it - and 13 other of his firearms - were "missing!! And this from the locked safe room INSIDE that 24-hr manned police station!! I told the OC the station, that he had 48hrs to return those firearms or I was going public.

I was not surprised when I collected my FN 9.3x62 within 18hrs!!

Funny to say, that upon collection, every screw on that rifle was loose as if it had already been pulled apart and then hastily reassembled (which must have occurred to return that rifle to it's rightful owner with lightning speed!!): I found this very strange as I know I was the last civilian to handle that rifle as I had packed it for storage.

(In another case, there was a public furore when it was discovered that a Benelli shotgun, handed in for destruction after the Port Arthur Massacre, was found - licensed!! - In the Northern Territory!!)

Firearms Branch won't admit it, but everyone in the business here knows they work to an anti-firearm policy, and use delaying tactics and obfuscation to discourage applicants. I reckon this is the reason why they're "hand-picking" what firearms you can or cannot own. I also know that the various police jurisdictions around the world are conferring with each other in regards to firearm ownership. So, if one newly jumped up regulation is implemented in one part of the world - it's as sure as hell it will be tried elsewhere too!! In this way, by using "salami tactics" are the authorities restricting firearm ownership (and movement!) worldwide.

But in my case, I was initially told, flatly, that "there's no way" I'd be getting approval for the 9.3 as I already had a 30/06 and a 458WM. I mmediately appealed by writing a concise ballistical essay (using accepted referencing techniques and a bibliography) proving the 3 calibres were of different classes and not "overlapping" for the purposes I require. I then engaged a firearms specialist lawyer to deliver my appeal - and to demonstrate to Firearms Branch I was serious about this issue.

Next morning the OC Firearms Branch phoned me personally to say he'd approved my license for my 9.3x62. Amazing!! Because a super fast firearm application usually takes over 6mths to approve!!

(Hmmm......so one wonders what they're doing for the rest of the time to justify their salaries??)

Shootist43 said:

I am content with what I have, but I'm willing to have more.

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Shootist43
If you are willing to have more how can you be content. You need to go to gun buyers anonymous mate. Actually you don't really have a problem you see a gun you like you buy it end of problem.
I've spent years buying, selling and buying again. I know what i want a n d like so i just concentrated on that to the point the ony way i could do it was to have it built. I dont like safe queens or wasting time trying to decide what i use so after deliberation ive decided ro trim down to my most used. My custom 25/303 Epps Newton improved, my savage 35 Whelen and my beautiful little lowall 22K Hornet.
So the Whelen AI, 1892 lever 32/20 and 22 will go. Fortunately my daughter wants the 22.
So I'm completely content with what I've got.
Dang I've just bought a 12 gauge bolt gun I had to have for pigs. Hopefully I'm content now.
Cheers mate
Bob

I'm pretty content, but only carry what I need. Have been casting an eye on a 257 Wby, but that is just as a want, not really a need. Dont think the taxidermists will appreciate animals coming in after getting hit by that.

Timbo said:

And don't forget, going around and physically measuring the bolts and washers securing your gun safe to the walls, just to make sure they meet Regulations!!

When feeling belligerent they also go around unannounced to your home (while you're at work) and ask your wife/gf etc if they can inspect your firearms. As soon as they open the safe, the police immediately confiscate all your firearms on the grounds that as your wife/gf is not the licensed owner it's illegal for them to have access your firearms.

On the opposite side of the coin, when my mate passed away, the police correctly moved in to store his 28 firearms at his local station until disposed by Estate. Later, when I was informed he'd bequeathed his FN 9.3x62 to me, I naturally went to license it. Imagine my surprise when I was told that it - and 13 other of his firearms - were "missing!! And this from the locked safe room INSIDE that 24-hr manned police station!! I told the OC the station, that he had 48hrs to return those firearms or I was going public.

I was not surprised when I collected my FN 9.3x62 within 18hrs!!

Funny to say, that upon collection, every screw on that rifle was loose as if it had already been pulled apart and then hastily reassembled (which must have occurred to return that rifle to it's rightful owner with lightning speed!!): I found this very strange as I know I was the last civilian to handle that rifle as I had packed it for storage.

(In another case, there was a public furore when it was discovered that a Benelli shotgun, handed in for destruction after the Port Arthur Massacre, was found - licensed!! - In the Northern Territory!!)

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I can’t understand why WA is so much worse than other states, what is wrong with them?!

As for the guns dis and re appearing. There were a number of cases of firearms escaping police storage. There was the famous case of a handgun used in murder in 2002 which was ceased and destroyed by coppers and which had been later confiscated for the second time in 2013 in NSW.

The biggest screw up in NSW would have to have been cops publishing on their website an unencrypted, publicly available list of all firearms registered in the state along with storage addresses.

My favourite one though is the case of UN and EU firearms expert Jean-Luc Stassen, the director of Liege proof house, where confiscated firearms were destroyed. Except they weren’t, instead they had been given a new lease on life in the hands of criminals. This man was an advocate of draconian gun laws. No wonder, imagine all the firearms he could have received for free and sold on black market.

I think all these socalled buyback and destroy gimmicks are just a sneaky way for cops and bureaucrats to appropriate fine guns they like. Too often one will show up somewhere after being "destroyed". Coincidence? No way. Whoever snatched it from the destruction site slipped up and put it on the market and it got recognized.

I kept telling myself and my wife that after the next purchase I should be done. That was 20+ years ago. Now it's Christmas every day I go looking through the collection as I've forgot I even own some in there.
Guess I'm content until the next purchase.

.22
9mm
12br
7x57
9.3x62
404 Jeffery
450 Rigby

Think I am sorted 8)

Russ - you never own a gun you are merely the custodian for a few years.. And thus the contentment comes from custodianship not ownership ..

After the tragic boating accident that caused the loss of much of my collection, I am in a position to have to start over again.

After seeing what's happening in former free countries, I'm just content we have the Constitution and its 2nd Amendment. The guns I own are icing on that cake. YMMV.